High Court slaps writ vs. Vizcaya mine firm

THE Supreme Court issued a Writ of Kalikasan on the petition against a mining company operating in Nueva Vizcaya province.

In an October 17, 2013, full court resolution signed by clerk of court Enriqueta Vidal, the High Tribunal or- dered the respondents FCF Minerals Corp., Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the regional trial court in the province “to make a verified return of the writ before the Court of Appeals within non-extendable period of 10 days from receipt . . . as provided in Section 8, Rule 7 of The Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases.

“Acting on the petition for Writ of Kalikasan with prayer for Temporary Environmental Protection Order, the court resolved to . . . issue a writ . . . against the respondents [and] refer this case, including all pending incidents, to the [CA] for acceptance of the return of the writ and for hearing reception of evidence and rendition of judgment[,]” the resolution read.

A Writ of Kalikasan is a remedy under the 2010 Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases that seeks protection of one’s constitutional right to a balanced and healthful ecology.

Dolphy Tindaan, Teresa Tindaan, Oscar Banih and Ziga Gayana, both of Runruno Land Owners’ Association, Barangay Runruno, Quezon, Nueva Vizcaya, are among the petitioners.

They filed the petition citing, among others, a number of cases of ecological destruction, resource plunder and poisoning.